THE WHARF REVUE -BACK TO BITE YOU.

Reviewed by Peter Wilkins

Drew Forsythe. Phillip Scott and Katrina Retallick
in The Wharf Revue - Back to Bite You.
Photo by Brett Boardman

Fifteen years on and the Wharf
Revue team is kicking proverbial political butt harder and better than
ever.Satire slicker than sleight of
quip. Able to cut down to size with a single verbal swipe.Bawdy, brazen and brilliantly funny,The Wharf
revue revelling in its ridicule takes Canberra by storm, and audiences only too
familiar with the political shenanigans on the hill, lap up the lampoonery with
squeals of delight as the political peregrinations of the past year are paraded
with blistering affrontery.

Katrina Retallick and Phillip Scott
in The Wharf Revue - Back To Bite You
Photo by Brett Boardman

Well-honed, astute and
deliciously irreverent, creators Drew Forsythe, the arch impersonator, Phillip
Scott , the maestro of keyboard and lyrics and Jonathan Biggins, straight man
extraordinaire with a penchant forcheekare joined this year by
phenomenal, gutsy satirical siren of song, Katrina Retallick, who opens the
show to let us all know with a stirring rendition of Cole Porter’s hit showtune
that Anything Goes.With apologies to Shakespeare’s Julius
Caesar, the first segment is set in Ancient Rome of 2016, an amphitheatre of
conspiracy, intrigue, conniving and manoeuvring, just the normal runabout of
political life. Video and sound designer David Bergman, sets the scene with back projections while the
cast in togas romp and sally forth. Biggins cuts a fine figure as Coreus
Bernardus,Scott is the spitting image
of Pompus Brandeus, while Forsythe sweeps about as Fixer Cristos Pynus.(These are phonetical versions of what I
heard, but they give an idea of our pollies’ transformation to Roman senators)
A highlight of the segment is Scott’s gladiator Hinchicus, intent on slaying
the unjust. This and Scott’s plebiscite Gand S patter on piano are pure revue.

﻿During its non-stop ninety
minutes of hilarity in which the follies and vices of our politicians are held
up to ridicule, the scene shifts from Rome to our Parliament, peopled by the
likes of Julie Bishop, Bob Katter, Arthur Sinodinos, Nick Xenophon, Richard Di
Natale and many more. Dutton the Devious does not escape the barbed lashing of
the team and poor, embitteredKevin
Andrews, like his Abbott compatriot, Eric Abetz, is barbecued on the pit of
satire.

Scott once again takes delight in
fitting his lyrics to popular tunes from musicals. Retallick makes the most of Don’t Rain on My Parade from Funny Girl
as a feisty, forceful Hillary Clinton. Biggins as Higgins channels Rex Harrison
with his rendition of Why Can’t The
English Learn To Speak as he attempts to train Bill Shorten (Forsythe) to
speak.

It was inevitable that the team
would not be able to resist lampooning Trump. Biggins again triumphs in his
impersonation of the flamboyant GOP with foot in the mouth disease. Every
politically incorrect utterance; every racist remark; every blinding flash of
foolishness is compacted into Biggins’ speech. I am puzzled that such a focus
on Trump should occupy a large part of the final minutes of the show, and that
the finale of this snappy revue should be on the American situation. Is it a
mark of the lost opportunity to bring Australian politics to a damning finale?
Is the material so lacklustre that there wasn’t that special moment? There are
some magic moments such as Biggins’ Fan Dance, the confrontation between
Pauline Hanson (Forsythe), Jacqui Lambie (Retallick) and Brandis (Scott) and
video references to Bob Hawke (Forsythe), Ben Chifley (Forsythe again) and
Julia Gillard ( a guest return by Amanda Bishop and her mysoginy speech) And
yet, we are left with another swipe atTrump Tower politics.

Similarly, I couldn’t find the
need for Carry On Up The Exit with
Sid James (Forsythe), Barbara Windsor (Retallick), a voluminous Hattie Jaques
(Scott) and a somewhat less than convincing Kenneth Williams (Biggins). Even
those familiar with the madcap characters of the Carry On series might find it
difficult to see the point of this typical university revue script.

Not so the beautiful, sensitive
and intensely moving tribute to Bob Ellis, recently arrived in Heaven and
pondering upon his fate and his loss. It is a beautifully expressed tribute to
this curmudgeonly commentator on society and the nation’s matters. A brief reference
to Richard Neville and we are reminded of the loss of those who made a
difference and have passed on. It is time to pause and take a pensive break
from the hilarity of ridicule and the lampoonery of the vices and follies of
those who determine the state of the nation.

Katrina Retallick. Jonathan Biggins. Phillip Scott and
Drew Forsythe in The Wharf Revue - Back To Bite You
Photo by Brett Boardman

The Wharf Revue – Back With a Bite probably has more sting than
bite, although audiences may take it as they might. Revue is after all a moving
feast and Canberra is the perfect place to try out before taking it home to
Sydney. What is guaranteed is a night of sheer entertainment and the chance to
laugh at folly, marvel at the wit and wisdom of four performers who have honed
their skills to create satire that is cleverly crafted, brilliantly performed
and an hilarious glimpse of the absurdity of democracy’s inconsistencies.

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About Me

The 26 year-old Canberra Critics’ Circle is the only such group of critics in Australia that runs across all the major art forms, not just performing arts.
The circle changes each year depending on who is writing or broadcasting on the arts in Canberra.
Our aim is to provide a focal point for Canberra reviewers in print and electronic media through discussions and forums. As well, we make awards to ACT region artists (defined as within 100km radius of Canberra) in the latter part of each year.
The CCC has always resisted making awards in “best-of” categories. Arts practice is not a competitive race and Canberra is a small pool where it would be ridiculous to pre-impose categories, apart from major art form genres. The idea is that we, the critics, single out qualities we have noticed -- things which have struck us as important. These could be expressed as abstracts, like impact, originality, creativity, craftsmanship and excellence.
Our year is from September 30 2016 to September 30 2017.
Convener of the Circle is Helen Musa.